I'm voting for the democrats, in spite of the hoopla and feelings of

[LaurenG]

betrayal.

There is nothing that could happen to change my mind other than the democratic nominee coming out and saying they are a nazi affiliated, skin head supporting demon in cahoots with Satan and the neocon agenda. Period.

Our choices are to get mad and have a fit, get mad and throw in the towel or just persevere in the face of betrayal and hopelessness. I choose option three.

Here's to better days ahead, :toast:





And btw, imo, grovelbot is a hottie. edit, extra word.

[EV_Ares]

1. Cool photo - don't know what I am going to do, still ticked off at the Dems,

know the old thing about what choice do we have. I don't know yet, but can't support this kind of stuff from them.

[LaurenG]

2. I do understand that and I know you know that it could be much, much worse

if we allow republicans to take total control again.

[bdamomma]

17. that is what we have to watch out for, but for a lesser evil

I will still vote Democratic, but we must hold their feet to the fire on this one. They cannot just ignore us, and if we continue to be we should take action, you can take that anyway you want.

[LaurenG]

22. Well I think a reminder to them is that "actions have consequences"

They all need to be inundated with letters promising their replacement in the next election if this doesn't stop. It is painful, that's for sure.

[merh]

3. I support true representatives of the Dem party

I don't support the Repug lite members and cannot. Corporations and compromise mean more to them than the people do.

You left off an option, "Our choices are to get mad and have a fit, get mad and throw in the towel or just persevere in the face of betrayal and hopelessness. I choose option three" Option four - get mad and do something positive, energize and let those in office know how angry and disappointed we are. Channel the anger into positive efforts to be heard and let them know that they fucked up, remind them they do work for us.

:hi:

[LaurenG]

5. I totally agree I had that in mind as the persevere option.

:hi:

[merh]

44. I guess it could be part of the persevere option

But it doesn't sound like we will let our anger propel us to act and let them know that we are out here and we matter. You've always been more polite than I am. I want to kick ass and I want them to know it. ;)

:hug:

[elocs]

4. I'm a Democrat and I will stick with my party. (This is the Democratic Union, by the way.)

The Democrats have been in power for 5 months and you have people who are willing to jump ship over one vote. That's sad. One vote does not a party make or break. I won't abandon my party so easily.

[Lochloosa]

13. I agree.

One vote. With the slimmest of margins in the Senate. Until we have the 60 votes in the Senate this fight will go on.



I will stand by the Democratic Party over repugs everytime.

[zalinda]

26. You're right

If this had been a veto proof resolution, and they passed it, I would be pissed, but it wasn't, so I'm not. They made the best of a bad situation.

You know that Bush would have vetoed the minimum wage bill, but they managed to get it through. Some people here want to carve out a sane world with a pick ax, when what is needed is a finely honed chisel.

zalinda

[Clark2008]

19. Oh - no, some of us have been looking askance at many a Dem

for much longer than five months. There are some pretty Republican-like Democrats throughout the party - and, in fact, are much beloved by the media.

I'm about to the point of saying, "If the media wants them so badly, I don't." Pretty good rule of thumb.

[elocs]

20. So the MSM is against Democratic bills and goals,

but also wants them (I assume this means Democrats) so badly? Which is it? Seems it could be one or the other, not both.

[mmonk]

6. Understand truthful criticism.

Understand it is not the problem we face. We must be angry. We must demand to be heard by those we elect to represent. Otherwise, we live our lives at someone else's whim and power. Like some dems offer no consequences to republicans that abuse power, some may want to offer no consequences to being denied representation or defense from unchecked illegal power. That's not meant to hand over even more power to our abusers. It is to insist that those we elect protect us from the abuse of power or suffer consequences. We must decide on consequences. Obedience to our ruin cannot be a continuing option.

[LaurenG]

9. Agree.

and no one has ever accused me of being obedient :evilgrin:, I'm a persevering lefty.

[mmonk]

11. For sure.

:thumbsup:

[Adelante]

7. Me, too

The pressure may be necessary at times, but writing off the party is something else again.

[Me.]

8. They're Counting On That

Upon reflection, over the last few days, I feel blackmailed. Where are we going to go, to the publicans? They know we're not so I guess they're really home free in many ways to shove just about anything down our throats. The only solution I can come up with is to replace our candidates, or any of those that are so willing to give us a pass, with ones that won't. Let's have some real primaries from here on out, not just DCCC dictated ones. FDL did a good scouting job last time around.

Beautiful pic.

[LWolf]

10. I am voting for a Democrat.

Not "the Democrats." I'll vote for the individual Democrat I feel is worthy of my vote. I won't vote for the party itself. It's the man or woman that will represent me, or not.

I love your photo, btw. It reminds me of my old neighborhood in California. I lived there for 30 years, and spent many springs hiking through poppies, owl clover, lupine, and the yellow flowers whose name I can't remember.

[Wisconsin Larry]

12. We need to hold them accountable and not give up. DailyKos says it

well in a note titled "Keep Fighting"

" But there is productive pissed, and destructive pissed. The productive stuff has us redoubling our efforts to clean house in Congress, clearing out the dead weight, the corporatists, and the Republicans. There's the taking over our local parties, bringing new blood and a cohesive sense of purpose to often moribund organizations.

And there's nothing that the DLC/Third War wing of the party would love more, than to see use take our ball and go home." http://www.dailykos.com

So let's kept holding their feet to the fire.

[KharmaTrain]

14. Consider The Alternatives...

I lived in a district where for 30 years the Congresscritter NEVER voted for anything I stood for. Fortunately we worked to build up a party in what was considered "safe red" and helped elect a Democrat. While I'm far from satisfied from the job she has done, I do appreciate that there is a person voting for my issues more often than not...and that either she'll continue to move in my direction...or I and others in this district will once again work to find someone who does. Yep, I'll take what I can get...the devil one knows.

We are not a party of grovelbots...that's the marvel of what a place like DU and the Progressive movement represents. We come from many different backgrounds and with a wide variety of causes...but we are far from monolithic. It's the strength of the party's diversity that now positions Democrats to move forward and attract a larger and larger majority. We'll have our differences and that's a good thing...it keeps us all honest and forces those who represent us to always listen. While you may not think that has happened...especially if your Congresscritter voted "yes"...they did so looking over their shoulder in a way they hadn't in the past. The worm is turning...it just takes time and more hard work ahead.

If there had been sufficient votes to pass resolutions shutting down boooshie...and I mean enough to override vetoes, I know yesterday's vote would have been different...but that's not where we're at. We're only part way to being the majority many think we are. The real work in coming up in not only holding on to gains made in '08, but getting the seats needed...along with a Democratic President...to have fully working majorities that can enact change and force the hand of those who aren't willing to change.

If you're pissed about being "sold out"...just consider your investment. If you haven't really invested, then you couldn't have been sold out...or it might be worth investing your time or resources to someone who does respresent your interests. Right now campaigns for Congress, Senate and tons of state and local races are forming...and if you want to have a bigger stake and investment, this is where to start. Take that frustration and take it out on the real enemy...the Repugnicans.

Cheers...

:toast:

[EV_Ares]

23. What I don't understand is how the republicans with their slim majority

before the election managed to handle these kinds of situation. Yet, us with our slim majority, cannot do the same.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

24. Holding the White House makes a slim majority much bigger.

When you hold the White House, you don't have to worry about being vetoed.

Democrats do have to consider that. It's a world of difference.

[KharmaTrain]

25. It Wasn't That Slim

They had 55 Seats in the Senate and picked off "Democrats" like Lieberman and Bayh and other "moderates" who put them over the 60 in many cases. A better parallel was in '01 when the GOOP had a 1 seat majority and could only muster the tax cuts for the rich...with a sunset provision...and that cost them Jeffords and control went to the Democrats.

One other factor is the Repugnicans are used to "being in power" and still carry the hubris that they are the majority, while the Democrats are still coming to grips with what really happened last year and still don't believe their support is strong. This is why the '08 elections will be critical.

Cheers...

[SharonRB]

36. Very well put.

[Matsubara]

15. Good for you, hope springs eternal.

My world is not so technicolor.

But I'm happy for you...

[melody]

16. To not vote for them is to elect the insane alternative

Beautiful picture.

[Clark2008]

18. Depends on which Dems for me - but it always has.

There's a couple I wouldn't spit on, much less vote for.

Of course, I wouldn't vote for any Republican.

Some of us feel pretty "homeless" about now.

[LaurenG]

21. That is a perfect description for how we're feeling; "feeling homeless"

I remember my mom always irritating me by saying "this too shall pass". I thought that was a bs sentiment. As I've aged I realized that she was right.

As a group we do have power and as the old saying goes, the pen is mightier than the sword. I'm writing all who voted yes and asking for an explanation. If this was a six month review, they all failed and should be given a written warning. x(

[Nikki Stone1]

27. I'm with you, Ohio Blues

I also believe that this was a political maneuver on the part of Rove. There will be another spending bill--a real one--and another fight.

[gristy]

28. me too

Why at least one on this board has professed his/her intent to "vote Republican" in 2008 is just beyond me. :shrug:

[MadHound]

29. And it is attitudes like yours that have gotten us to where we are today

If you refuse to hold your representatives accountable, then you are essentially allowing them to do any damn thing they please, including playing political games while people die.

Sorry, but it is past time that we held them accountable. You have to let them know, both with your words and your vote, that what they are doing is unacceptable.

[LaurenG]

31. No one said they are refusing to hold their representatives accountable

I said don't give up, persevere, correct the problems. I don't fit well with any other party and I never again want to see someone as messed up as George Bush is running this country. I'll see this through and I'll fight all the way.

[MadHound]

34. Then what are you going to do to hold them accountable?

Write them an angry letter? Withhold your funding and work from their next campaign? Withhold your vote, either in the primary or general campaign?

You see, it is attitudes like yours that allow these people to get away with acting like warhawks. They know that you're going to vote for them no matter what they do, so they do as they please. And thus, this is how we wind up with a two party/same corporate master system of government that we have today. It is past time that we started holding them accountable for their actions. If this means withholding your vote, so be it. In the short run it might be painful, but in the long run we will have a more responsive government.

Blindly voting for the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result everytime is simply another definition of insanity.

[LaurenG]

39. Who are you going to vote for? What plan of action are you taking to ensure

that your candidate does precisely as you expect. It does no good to make decisions while angry. Trust me, I've had to learn the hard way.

Republicans are unacceptable alternatives and voting for a third party will get us more of the same. That per your definition of insanity, is insane as well.

Perhaps I hold out hope that the democratic party and the democratic voters as a group will force the issue if only one voice at a time.

I stand by my statement, I'm voting for the democratic presidential nominee, even if it's my least favorite contender.

[Individualist]

37. Exactly. It's blind loyalty that brought about the arrogance of our current leadership.

[LaurenG]

40. I think I've thought long and hard about the alternatives and I've made my decision.nt

[auburngrad82]

42. So vote Republican next time

See how quickly we get out of Iraq with a GOP controlled Congress.

IF we maintain control of Congress and IF we gain control of the Presidency THEN we can get the hell out of Iraq. But it's not possible at this time. And if we lose the slim majority we have in 2008 then we will be stuck there for years to come. I understand that this doesn't make people feel better but it's the truth. Either vote Dem or vote to stay in Iraq. Those will be your choices.

[MadHound]

46. Well gee, after the actions I've seen so far, it looks like voting Dem is voting to stay in Iraq too

So what's an anti-war liberal to do?

This is the dilema confronting the anti-war left in the fall of '08, and the vast majority will respond one of two ways, either by going Green or staying home.

We've already lost our majorities in Congress, and probably the WH too. And it is nobody's fault but the Dems. Now the only question is whether or not the Greens or the 'Pugs make some gains.

[Hubert Flottz]

30. This was simply one battle in this war to take back our country

from the neofascist GOP brownshorts.

[Cameron27]

32. I won't jump ship over this supplemental.

There are Senators like Durbin and Levin, who I believe voted no because they thought it was right. They've never been afraid of voting against popular opinion before, so I trust their judgment now, even if I don't agree with it.

Reid and Pelosi built up the idea of a strong Democratic resistance to Bush that may not have been been a reality after the first bill was vetoed. This made the situation volatile, IMO.

I won't bet on the motives of others however.

[DU GrovelBot]

33. ## PLEASE DONATE TO DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND! ##

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This week is our second quarter 2007 fund drive. Democratic
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[LaurenG]

38. * It's GrovelBot*, I was hoping you'd show up!

[BlooInBloo]

45. I wonder if he's related to the Hamburgler? grovelgrovel!

[SharonRB]

35. I'm with you, OhioBlues

:hi:

I'm not happy, but even a withdrawal wouldn't have begun until October and this funding only lasts until September. I'm going to hang in there and trust them to keep pushing. There's no other viable alternative.

[IronLionZion]

41. If you want an organized party that agrees on everything, be a Republican

Republicans get told what to do and they do it. Order and discipline are not liberal traits. I don't trust anyone who says he will vote my way 100% because it just doesn't work that way.

I'm not a member of any organized political party. I'm a Democrat. Will Rogers said that.

[Blue_Roses]

43. Here, here

:toast:

and wow, what a beautiful picture!